Young people turned out at multiple locations in Akron to volunteer and take collective action on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The smell of bleach filled the air at one location as the scrubbing began and the young people were put to work for the Youth Day of Doing event, coordinated by Jerome Moss, executive director of Guys & Gals Community Partnership.

Volunteers spread out to about 10 locations across the city where they cleaned, packed food, read to kids and engaged in community-based conversations.

The day was part of the Power | Love | Justice Weekend events held across the city over the long holiday weekend.

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James Neloms, a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, (center) moves carts full of food and other household essentials at Sarah’s House Inc. as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
James Neloms, a member of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, (center) moves carts full of food and other household essentials at Sarah’s House Inc. as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Members of the East Community Learning Center high school boy's basketball team clean and stack chairs at the Joy Park Community Center as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Members of the East Community Learning Center high school boy’s basketball team clean and stack chairs at the Joy Park Community Center in East Akron as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Young people gather in a circle at the Joy Park Community Center for a conversation on topics including safety, community programs and social media use as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Young people gather in a circle at the Joy Park Community Center for a conversation on topics including safety, community programs and social media use as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Copley High School students Sydney Curry, 16, (left) and Jaz'Mynn Andrew, 17, (right) read the book "Alma's Art" by Roda Ahmed to kids at the Akron Children's Museum as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Copley High School students Sydney Curry, 16, (left) and Jaz’Mynn Andrew, 17, (right) read the book “Alma’s Art” by Roda Ahmed to kids at the Akron Children’s Museum as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Demetrius Falconer, youth adviser for the Akron NAACP and a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, (right) leads a group discussion at Sarah's House Inc. as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Demetrius Falconer, youth adviser for the Akron NAACP and a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, (right) leads a group discussion at Sarah’s House Inc. as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Members of the Akron NAACP, its youth group, the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and other volunteers sorted, cleaned and bagged food and other household essentials at Sarah’s House Inc. as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. Akron NAACP President Judi Hill described the effort as "intergenerational."
Members of the Akron NAACP, its youth group, the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity and other volunteers sorted, cleaned and bagged food and other household essentials at Sarah’s House Inc. as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. Akron NAACP President Judi Hill described the effort as “intergenerational.” (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Volunteers with the Akron NAACP, its youth group, the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and the Phi Beta Sigma pose for a group photo after they sorted, cleaned and bagged food and other household essentials at Sarah’s House Inc. as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. Akron NAACP President Judi Hill described the effort as "intergenerational."
Volunteers with the Akron NAACP, its youth group, the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority and the Phi Beta Sigma pose for a group photo after they sorted, cleaned and bagged food and other household essentials at Sarah’s House Inc. as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. Akron NAACP President Judi Hill described the effort as “intergenerational.” (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Daylin Payne, a 14-year-old ninth grader at East Community Learning Center, cleans a seat at the Joy Park Community Center as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Daylin Payne, a 14-year-old ninth grader at East Community Learning Center, cleans a seat at the Joy Park Community Center as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Members of the East Community Learning Center high school boy's basketball team clean up at the Joy Park Community Center as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Members of the East Community Learning Center high school boy’s basketball team clean up at the Joy Park Community Center as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Cheick Kourouma, a 17-year-old 10th grader at East Community Learning Center, (center) cleans and stacks chairs at the Joy Park Community Center as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Cheick Kourouma, a 17-year-old 10th grader at East Community Learning Center, (center) cleans and stacks chairs at the Joy Park Community Center as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Judi Hill, president of the Akron NAACP, listens to a group discussion at Sarah's House Inc. as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Judi Hill, president of the Akron NAACP, listens to a group discussion at Sarah’s House Inc. as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)
Dontae Payne Jr., a 14-year-old ninth grader at East Community Learning Center, (right) takes part in a group conversation at the Joy Park Community Center as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026.
Dontae Payne Jr., a 14-year-old ninth grader at East Community Learning Center, (right) takes part in a group conversation at the Joy Park Community Center as part of the 2026 Youth Day of Doing on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. (Ryan Loew / Signal Akron)

Editor-in-Chief (she/her)
Zake has deep roots in Northeast Ohio journalism. She was the managing editor for multimedia and special projects at the Akron Beacon Journal, where she began work as a staff photographer in 1986. Over a 20-year career, Zake worked in a variety of roles across departments that all help inform her current role as Signal Akron's editor in chief. Most recently, she was a journalism professor and student media adviser at Kent State University, where she worked with the next generation of journalists to understand public policy, environmental reporting, data and solutions reporting. Among her accomplishments was the launch of the Kent State NewsLab, an experiential and collaborative news commons that connects student reporters with outside professional partners.